The D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership has welcomed the publication of the latest version of a Devolution Prospectus for the areas it covers – Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire.
The public document sets out the case for and benefits to the D2N2 area of devolution. Hundreds of millions of pounds in public spending around jobs, skills and transport would move from central Government to local authority control.
Earlier this month (March) D2N2 Chairman Peter Richardson joined a delegation including local authority leaders from both counties, and major business figures, to meet with Minister for Universities, Science and Cities Greg Clark and his Labour opposite Hilary Benn MP; to open talks on securing devolved powers.
Any deal would be conditional on city, county and most borough and district councils forming a ‘combined authority’, one for Nottinghamshire and one for Derbyshire. A combined authority is a statutory body which takes a collective councils’ approach to decisions on transport, regeneration and economic development.
The two new combined authorities which Derby and Derbyshire, and Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, are currently working towards are expected to come into effect by the end of this year (2015). It’s thought any new devolved powers held by these two combined authorities are unlikely to be developed until 2017 at the earliest.
The Devolution Prospectus setting out the D2N2 area’s case has been made public by the partners involved and can be read or downloaded below.
View A Copy of the D2N2 Devolution Prospectus below: